Israel returns bodies of terrorists who killed soldier in Jerusalem

Israel handed over to the Palestinian Authority three bodies of terrorists who died in a Jerusalem shootout, in which they killed one soldier.

The bodies of Ahmed Abu al-Ghub, Ahmed Zakarna and Mohammed Kamil from the Jenin area of the West Bank were given to Palestinian Authority officers Friday afternoon, Ynet reported.

The three men, all childhood friends aged 20-21, arrived armed with knives and an automatic machine gun to the Old City in eastern Jerusalem on Wednesday. When one of them stabbed a Border Police officer, the stabber was shot dead by Hadar Cohen, an 18-year-old woman who had joined the police force as part of her mandatory army service two months ago. One of the terrorist shot Cohen dead before being gunned down by other soldiers, along with his two friends.

The terrorists were all on the list of Palestinians who are denied access to Israel because they are deemed security risks. Army officials told the NRG news website that they believe the three men entered Israel illegally and are working with the Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet, to retrace their steps.

Cohen was buried Thursday at the Yahud Military Cemetery near Tel Aviv, where Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh called her “a hero, whose actions prevented a much larger tragedy.”